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What is Lymphoma? |
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Symptoms
Lymphoma is a malignancy that starts in a person’s lymphatic system, the network of tissues and substances which help destroy disease-causing agents in the body. In its earliest stages, the condition is indicated by inflamed lymph nodes at the neck, armpits, and between the legs at the groin area. These are usually painless, and are accompanied by several other symptoms, including fever and feebleness, excessive sweating at night, a sudden weight loss, stomach pain and inflammation, a difficulty in breathing, coughing fits, and chest pain. The patient’s skin may also feel very itchy for no apparent reason.
Causes
When white blood cells (lymphocytes) complete a life cycle, the body normally produces new ones as a replacement for them. With lymphoma, the new lymphocytes do not follow their normal life cycles, but move on to divide and develop uncontrollably. This excess in white blood cells eventually builds up on the lymph nodes, causing inflammation. The exact cause for lymphoma is yet undetermined, but research suggests that genetic abnormalities may be the reason for the progression of all types of malignancies, including lymphoma. Lymphocytes fall into two types: B or T cells. The former eliminate infection with the creation of plasma cells (these then produce the antibodies), while the latter deals with the infecting agent directly. Eighty-five percent of lymphoma cases begin in the B cells. Although lymphoma involves the lymph nodes in general, the condition can move on to other components of the lymphatic system, such as the tonsils and the bone marrow.
Diagnosis
The doctor first examines the patient’s inflamed lymph nodes to examine their size and firmness, and then follow it up with blood or urine tests to determine the cause of the inflammation. Inflamed lymph nodes usually point to an infection, and a blood/urine test isolates this possibility from other potential causes. If the doctor suspects that a tumor is the cause of the inflammation, he may recommend an X-ray or CT scan of the patient’s lymph areas to determine its presence and size, or employ an MRI scan to ascertain if the spinal cord and the brain are afflicted as well. A PET scan may also be conducted for the same purpose, or for evaluating the progress of a patient’s chemotherapy course. The diagnosis may be confirmed with a biopsy of the lymph node or of the bone marrow; samples of either or both are taken and examined under a microscope, looking for abnormal masses or an unusually high lymphocyte count.
Treatment Info
The doctors may prescribe a combination of oral or intravenous drugs for stunting the growth of the tumors. Chemotherapy is opted for in cases of intermediate to advanced phases of low-grade lymphoma. The doctor may also supplement the medication treatment by subjecting the tumor to high levels of radiation, in an attempt to kill or shrink it. These two procedures are usually potent enough to get rid of the malignancy, but in case of a recurrence, the doctor may replenish the marrow loss from consequent chemotherapy with a stem cell transplant, or opt for biotherapy and radioimmunotherapy procedures to stop and destroy the progression of the tumor.
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